Plague here brings eventually depopulation, migration and a total standstill of commerce, a little like our current situation but whereas governments in our day have instigated restrictions on gatherings and conducting trade, in Mary’s late 21st century commerce eventually dies through the steady tide of the plague itself.

I’ve never lost that initial interest nor the sense of excitement in improvised music from around the world in all its forms.

Even when they lost some of the greatest among them, like Kenny Rogers, John Prine, and Charley Pride, (commemorations by Sidetracks & Detours remain available in our archives) country musicians found the strength to stay engaged with fans (if only through live streams and zooms etc), fight for much-needed social change and share some truly stellar records in the process.